Wimbledon 2021: Matteo Berrettini vs Botic van de Zandschulp preview, head-to-head & prediction
Match Details
Fixture: (7) Matteo Berrettini vs Botic van de Zandschulp
Date: 1 July 2021
Tournament: The Championships, Wimbledon
Round: Second round (Round of 64)
Venue: London, Great Britain
Category: Grand Slam
Surface: Grass
Prize money: £17,066,000
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel & ESPN | UK - BBC TV & Radio | India - Star Sports / Disney+ Hotstar VIP.
Matteo Berrettini vs Botic van de Zandschulp Preview
High-flying Matteo Berrettini takes on Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp on Thursday for a spot in the third round at 2021 Wimbledon. Making his third appearance at the grasscourt Major, Berrettini beat Argentine Guido Pella in four sets to get his campaign rolling.
Berrettini has had a fabulous 2021 season, winning 27 of his 33 matches, which includes titles in Belgrade and Queen's. The World No. 9 has performed impressively at Grand Slam tournaments as well. He made the fourth round at the Australian Open and the quarterfinals at Roland Garros.
The Italian arrived at Wimbledon off a title run at Queen's, where he dropped only one set all week. Berrettini looked untroubled for long periods against Pella in his Wimbledon opener, except in the second set, which he dropped.
Meanwhile, van de Zandschulp, who made it into the main draw as a lucky loser, defeated Frenchman Gregoire Barrere in four sets in his opener. The 25-year-old, who mostly plays on the Challenger circuit, is 4-4 for the year and is coming off a second-round appearance at Roland Garros.
Matteo Berrettini vs Botic van de Zandschulp head-to-head
Matteo Berrettini and Botic van de Zandschulp have never met on the tour before, so their head-to-head stands at 0-0.
Matteo Berrettini vs Botic van de Zandschulp prediction
Considering the gulf in class and experience between the two players, this appears to be a mismatch, at least on paper. While Berrettini is comfortably perched in the top 10 and making deep runs at Majors, van de Zandschulp is playing in only his thGrand Slam main draw.
Berrettini, a former semifinalist at the US Open, reached the fourth round in his last trip to Wimbledon two years ago, losing to eventual finalist Roger Federer.
The Italian has a game that is well suited to quicker surfaces. His big serves and booming forehand allow him to dictate rallies from the back of the court. However, is backhand is a liability and that's an area van de Zandschulp must look to target.
The Dutchman also possesses a powerful baseline game, but he is quite inconsistent and tends to leak errors off both wings.
Considering the form Berrettini is in, especially on grass, the chances of van de Zandschulp springing an upset are slim. If the Italian can guard against complacency, he should come away with an easy victory.
Prediction: Matteo Berrettini to win in straight sets.